Well, I don't have any first hand experience with the use of either the Arcam or the Jolida (although I've heard very good things about this one).
What I can say is, I own a Rotel RCD 971 and wanted to ugrade it. I was considering selling and buying a unit in the range of the Rega Planet 2000 (around that price point, which is about 1200 Canadian). I listened to it on a system comprised of a Classe CAP 151 integrated amp and NHT 2.5i speakers. I was not overly impressed with its performance versus the Rotel. Sure, it was different, but I found it to be sort of flat sounding and not particularly dynamic (not that the Rotel was any better, really).
I then listened to a universal player by pioneer - I'm talking a VERY CHEAP PLAYER ...one that is about 300-350 Canadian dollars ($5.38 US hahah), along with an external DAC (MSB Link DAC III).
Let me tell you, the difference was night and day!!! That combo was FAAAAAARRR better than the Planet 2000. FAR better. Depth of field was extremely good. Dimensionality, soundstaging, imaging - everything was significantly better. I mean unbelievably so!!. (originally , i had been auditioning the CAP 151, but realized that my source will come first).
I made a purchase of the MSB with the Half Nelson upgrade, the arrival of which I greatly anticipated (the upgrade had to be done by the manufacturer or authorized distributor). When I got it home, I had problems...but that's another story (READ this section, Link DAC III break in)
So, unless you're going with a super high end all in one, then I strongly feel that external DAC is the way to go.
Just my two cents...
What I can say is, I own a Rotel RCD 971 and wanted to ugrade it. I was considering selling and buying a unit in the range of the Rega Planet 2000 (around that price point, which is about 1200 Canadian). I listened to it on a system comprised of a Classe CAP 151 integrated amp and NHT 2.5i speakers. I was not overly impressed with its performance versus the Rotel. Sure, it was different, but I found it to be sort of flat sounding and not particularly dynamic (not that the Rotel was any better, really).
I then listened to a universal player by pioneer - I'm talking a VERY CHEAP PLAYER ...one that is about 300-350 Canadian dollars ($5.38 US hahah), along with an external DAC (MSB Link DAC III).
Let me tell you, the difference was night and day!!! That combo was FAAAAAARRR better than the Planet 2000. FAR better. Depth of field was extremely good. Dimensionality, soundstaging, imaging - everything was significantly better. I mean unbelievably so!!. (originally , i had been auditioning the CAP 151, but realized that my source will come first).
I made a purchase of the MSB with the Half Nelson upgrade, the arrival of which I greatly anticipated (the upgrade had to be done by the manufacturer or authorized distributor). When I got it home, I had problems...but that's another story (READ this section, Link DAC III break in)
So, unless you're going with a super high end all in one, then I strongly feel that external DAC is the way to go.
Just my two cents...